This blog contains assorted news and commentary on the fundraising profession and philanthropy gathered by the AFP Fundraising Resource Center.
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Natural disasters are intensifying, warring parties are trying to exert more control over aid groups, and reporters and other observers are stepping up their criticism of how relief organizations operate after emergencies."

The state leads the nation in percent increase of total dollars raised in 2009. It’s also one of only six states to increase giving over 2008. The others are South Dakota, Oklahoma, Washington D.C., New Mexico and Oregon."

Funding London's Arts: A Delicate Balancing Act - Newsweek: "This era owes itself largely to a dramatic shift in the way cultural institutions like museums and theaters are paid for. If the continental European and American models for funding the arts rest at either end of a spectrum—with the European model leaving cultural institutions completely state-funded, and the American relying almost entirely on private philanthropy—then Britain has positioned itself happily in the middle."

James Boyce: Once Again, Business Shows Nonprofits the Future: "I would wager a lot of nonprofits are taking in about 10 percent of their revenue from 'digital' sources right now, the same as Barnes & Noble, but Barnes & Noble knows that to reach the goal of 31 percent, and to meet or exceed what the marketplace is doing, they will have to dedicate real resources, and a real focus on changing their business model to capture that market share. They will objectively look at present trends and make an informed strategic decision about the future and execute to that decision.

It's great to state who you are and what you do, but if you never clearly ask for money and never appeal to potential donors correctly, your results won't amount to much. To do that you need to answer the following four questions every time you ask:"

Echoing the success of the Rylstone Women’s Institute in North Yorkshire, the ladies of Networking Women, who meet in Witney and Bicester, undressed and posed for a 15-month calendar, with all proceeds going to Breast Cancer Haven."

Private funds of over $102 million came in during fiscal year 2010 from over 25,000 donors, which include alumni and others in the Houston community who are supporting the University’s efforts to achieve Tier One status. This milestone also boasts the largest amount of alumni support for the University."

Students seek a responsible angle to their studies - MBAs Guide, Postgraduate - The Independent: "Claire Williams is in many ways typical of a modern-day business school graduate. In contrast to the popular image of the MBA as a sharp-suited individual overly focused on strategy and numbers at the expense of the human aspect, she decided to take an MBA course after a period working with a not-for-profit organisation in East Africa. She opted to study at the Sa�d Business School, University of Oxford due to the strong reputation it has built in the social enterprise field since being established in 1996, and in 2008 she became a scholar at the school's Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship."

BRING ON THE GALAS - Association Bisnow - Washington: "Dust off that suit and gown. Gala season is upon us yet again. We talked to Washington event planners about the top fundraiser trends this year. Though the glam is still there, they tells us the era of uber excess is over."

Ten Things Tax-Exempt Organizations Need to Know About the Oct. 15 Due Date | Planned Giving Design Center: "A crucial filing deadline of Oct. 15 is looming for many tax-exempt organizations that are required by law to file their Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service or risk having their federal tax-exempt status revoked. Nonprofit organizations that are at risk can preserve their status by filing returns by Oct. 15, 2010, under a one-time relief program. Here are 10 facts to help nonprofit organizations maintain their tax-exempt status."

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

afpteaches: Fundraising Concentration Becomes Certificate Program: "Monday, October 4, 2010Fundraising Concentration Becomes Certificate ProgramA proposal to create a Fundraising Leadership Certificate program was approved by the undergraduate curriculum committee at Rockhurst. This means that students who take the fundraising concentration courses will now receive an actual certificate, granted by Rockhurst University, and they are eligible for financial aid as certificate-seeking students."

Money-Smart Kids / Charitable giving in kids' hands - Westport News: "With some gentle prodding, their sons, Henry, 7, and Jack, 10, admitted that they had more toys than they can actually play with. He really got my attention with that accomplishment and I asked him to script that 'gentle prodding' for use in my own home, as I can't imagine my kids ever admitting to having too many toys.

Throughout this conversation the parents suggested the possibility of, in lieu of birthday gifts from their friends, asking the party-goers for contributions in their name to www.globalgiving.org"

Generation Y: Breaking Stereotypes by Raising Funds and Doing Good : Page 1 of 2 : FundRaising Success: "azy, disinterested, apathetic, self-absorbed and entitled — what do all of these adjectives have in common? These terms have been used to describe 'Generation Y,'Opens in a new window the class of people born between the early 1980s and the late 1990s (also commonly referred to as 'Gen Y'Opens in a new window). These generalizations have bothered me for some time, as I’m a member of this community. I literally laughed out loud (LOLOpens in a new window) as I read how we all apparently mooch off mom and dad. I worked two jobs in college and paid for it myself, as was the case for many of my peers."

On the Pitfalls of Charity | Psychology Today: "So, charity, empathy, and cooperation are in our genes. And yet charitable action, as personal habit, has some dubious, counterproductive features. First, our charitable impulse tends to be reactive, not proactive. We are good at responding to the disaster that has happened, not at preparing for the one yet to happen. How many of those who donated recently to Haiti's victims would have contributed similarly to an effort to bring Haiti's buildings up to code some years before the quake?"

October 2, 2010 — A new report released by Nonprofit Finance Fund highlights says that philanthropic equity—typically significant, multi-year investments—can play a transformative role in supporting sustainable growth or change for nonprofits.

The Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) said that, based on its own experience, its philanthropic equity investments have, on average, more than tripled program delivery and doubled revenue for nonprofit organizations."

How to Hire a Great Accountant for Your Nonprofit | Blue Avocado: "For many executive directors, hiring an accountant is fraught with anxiety. How will we find the right person? How can I tell if someone really knows accounting? Will an accountant fit in with the rest of us? As difficult as it is to hire a good accountant, hiring an incompetent or incompatible person is even worse. Here are some FAQs on hiring accountants for nonprofits, including what to do if you're having an impossible time of it:

To Khirey Walker, he wouldn't be the person he is today without the four years he spent as a student at Elon University. The senior took to the stage Sept. 16 in Rhodes Stadium alongside President Leo Lambert and shared with about 300 members of the senior class the importance of giving back to the university that had invested so much in him."

Nonprofits have little more than a week to make sure the appropriate tax forms are filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – or risk losing their tax-exempt status.

Lois Lerner, director of the Exempt Organizations Division at the IRS, reminded a conference of state charity officials that the deadline for charities -- no matter their size -- to file the correct Form 990 is Oct. 15. Nonprofits that fail to file will have their exemptions revoked.

Dozens of charity regulators and nonprofits gathered in Silver Spring, Md., for the annual conference of the National Association of State Charity Officials (NASCO) and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG)."

Several New York State museum executives and legislators are criticizing a state board’s surprise decision last month to abandon regulations barring institutions from selling works to cover operating expenses, says The New York Times.

The New York State Board of Regents had been expected to make the two-year-old temporary ban on such sales permanent but instead voted to let the rule expire."

A strong will or 'give while you live'?: "How much money should small business owners leave their children? All of it, half of it, or less? Should the kids get the cash in one hit or over a long period? Should there be conditions about how the family fortune is spent? Should grandkids be looked after?"

How a Work of Art Becomes a Place of Learning: "Matheu is one of the dozen international artists who are painting ten huge canvas tents, each one of which will be able to seat about 30 children and serve as temporary classrooms in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. The paint and the material for the tents are very specific in that they must withstand Haiti’s extreme weather; the curator and instigator of this project, called “Base Paint,” has made sure of that. He goes by the singular name of Antuan, and he too competes with another train when describing an undertaking that truly is incredible."

Actor also visits Parkview Adventist in BrunswickBy Patrick Gabrion, Times Record Business EditorPublished:Monday, October 4, 2010 2:12 PM EDTLEWISTON — Most of us are well aware of what Patrick Dempsey does for a living. The Maine native has fashioned himself a rather noteworthy career as an actor, especially gaining notice with his starring role as Dr. Derek Shepherd on “Grey’s Anatomy.”

But on Sunday, we had him all to ourselves as a cyclist. He had returned home to help lead the second annual Dempsey Challenge, a weekend full of events held to support the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing at Ce"

Monday, October 04, 2010

County & State :: Lake Stevens Journal: "SEATTLE - Nonprofit groups can have a tough time raising money in any economy, but a new report says they're worth every penny of the donation dollars they receive from charitable foundations for the causes they support.

The study of 20 nonprofits in the Northwest included seven in Washington, working on advocacy issues ranging from homelessness prevention to immigrants' rights. It tracked all the foundation money they received, and found the groups were able to leverage every dollar, about 150 to one."

Scott Harrison: How Birthdays are Changing the World: "Four years ago, charity: water had a crazy idea. We asked people born in September to give up their birthdays and ask for donations instead of gifts -- to ask for their age in dollars. We used 100 percent of the $150,000 raised that month to fund water projects at clinics and schools throughout Kenya. Every September since, we launch a fundraising campaign to focus on one of the 17 countries where we work and really scale our work there. This year was our biggest September Campaign yet, one that took our team to the deep jungle of Central African Republic, where a forgotten tribe of people called the Bayaka live without access to safe drinking"

“I think our most successful events have been ones that are at a bar or a local social area,” said Bethany Cramer, 22, spokeswoman for Flower City Habitat. “The events that are more social, rather than structured, tend to be less intimidating to (young professionals).”"

'Jewish philanthropy must adapt to changes': "The Jewish Federations system has to adapt to the changing patterns in Jewish generosity or risk becoming increasingly irrelevant, according to Jeffrey R. Solomon, an expert on Jewish giving and the president of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies."

Business philanthropy can be win-win - The Denver Post: "Companies of any size recognize the benefits of returning profits to their communities. Beyond company and brand positioning, cause-related marketing can intensify customer loyalty and serve as a reservoir against reputational attack. Further yet, engaging employees in philanthropic decision-making and volunteerism builds a platform of employee pride, increased job satisfaction and loyalty. Ultimately, working with nonprofits to solve societal problems can create opportunities for innovation and access to new markets."

The Donor Confidence Index compiled by Campbell Rinker, a marketing-research company, fell 3.2 points in August to 86.5 out of a 100, a score that is lower than at any other point since December 2008."